If I had more time in the protectionism lecture, I would have talked a bit more about the negative effects that protectionism has on consumers. One illustration that hits home for me is the Washington DC Opportunity Scholarship Program, which provides a life-line for poor inner city kids by allowing them to escape failing public schools.

Working at IJ, I got involved in the OSP program. I worked with parents and students for several years, and have come to know many of them personally. What happened to them is heart breaking.

I wrote about it in a piece called The Education Debacle of the Decade. Keep in mind that the parents and children are the consumers, the private schools are the competitors, and the teachers unions are the politically protected insiders.

You should know that this story has a happy ending. A few months ago, the U.S. Speaker of the House used his political clout to insert a five-year reauthorization of OSP into a large bill and miraculously brought it back to life. More on that here.

Regarding communications techniques, now you can watch Leonard Read give his famous How to Advance Libertylecture on YouTube. When I worked at FEE, I watched this talk over and over. I dreamed that one day I would give an updated version of it.

Henry George – who was in many ways a radical and highly influential libertarian – has unfortunately been largely lost to history.

I would highly, highly recommend that you read the conclusion to Henry George’s 1883 work, Social Problems. If you’re familiar with Hayek’s Intellectuals and Socialism, consider comparing and contrasting them.

Thankfully, the conclusion to Social Problems is online here. It’s short, beautifully written and inspiring. In particular, check out the paragraphs numbered 6-10.

Needless to say, I’m in George’s camp.

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Last point: Feedback would be most appreciated. Please feel free to offer suggestions or comments on how I can improve the talks.